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The Power of Storytelling: Why Entertainment is Important
Good stories increase empathy and make us and our lives better
Entertainment gets a bad rap. In this ‘Protestant, work ethic, nothing fun is good for you’ culture, indulging in entertainment is alternatively bad for you, squandered time, a sign of moral weakness or low intellectual standards. Contrary to popular beliefs, however, entertainment is none of those things.
Good stories make us and our lives better. They lead to self-reflection, emotional connection, increased empathy, and real-life impact. Stories are fundamentally social, linking people through shared experience and meaning. Where are the problems with that?
Whether it’s historical dramas, romance, sci-fi, thrillers, superheroes, mysteries, horror or navigating a story-driven video game — anything that tells a story gives us a deeper understanding of the world and events around us. The impact is more than ‘just entertainment’— a good story leads to self-reflection and imagination. When we feel emotional connections to characters and their worlds, we gain empathy that extends into our personal lives (Bal & Veltkamp, 2013). We face untenable situations, build emotional repertoires and ease our existential fears.
